ALWAYS ON THE BALL!

Ever wondered what it takes to keep those serves and shots flowing at the world's top tennis tournament? Months of training, silent discipline, and that's before you factor in the diva demands of players... two Wimbledon teenagers reveal all

- By Geoff Maynard at Wimbledon

IT is a pretty daunting prospect for a teenager. You are a key part of the world's most famous sporting tournament, watched by millions worldwide and surrounded by tennis megastars. You are standing on court for an hour and are a vital component in making it all run smoothly.

It is an extraordinary experience for the likes of Wimbledon ball boy Callum McDonagh, 15, and his whole family. “When my mum came to see me, she just burst into tears, she was so proud,” he admits. And it is a familiar tale for ball girl Josie Bryant, 14, who says her mum and brother also arrived to watch her and it was “really cool”.

I am speaking to Wimbledon first-timer BBGs (ball boys and girls) Callum and Josie to highlight the efforts of these extraordinary young volunteer heroes. Part of a 276-strong team toiling away at this year's Championships, they are its unsung heroes.

The international tennis stars are obviously the headline act, the umpire is there to keep score and order, and now AI technology keeps control of the line calls - most of the time anyway. But there are also six energetic assistants like Callum and Josie on each court to keep things going very smoothly. Without them, it would be a mess of stray balls just how it looks when you pop to the local park for a game.

After a rigorous selection procedure and months of training, they are ready each morning to troop out among the crowds and keep each game rolling along nicely.

Callum, from Banstead in Surrey, and Josie, from nearby Petersham in Richmond, spoke to me before they headed out for a busy day on the courts on day nine at SW19.

They started their Wimbledon adventure back in September with Year 10 pupil Callum attending an after school club alongside 50 other kids at his school The Beacon. Josie went through a similar process at Grey Court School in Richmond.